My Genealogy Hound

John T. Marsh, commission merchant, Pine Bluff, Ark. Amongst the representative classes that go to make up our commercial fabric that of commission merchant forms an important part. In this line of business is found a thoroughly representative firm in that of Messrs. Marsh & Atkinson, the well-known commission merchants. Mr. Marsh owes his origin to Troup County, Ga., where his birth occurred on March 23, 1843, having been born to the union of John J. and Catherine (Goodwin) Marsh. John J. Marsh was a native of North Carolina, grew to manhood in that State and later went to Georgia, where he met and married Miss Goodwin, a descendant of a noted Georgia family. He was a farmer and followed this pursuit in Georgia until 1848, when he moved to Louisiana, locating near Vernon, Jackson Parish. In 1850 he moved to Claiborne Parish, reared his family there and received his final summons about 1880. He served through two of the Indian wars, and for his bravery and gallant conduct was promoted to the rank of major. John T. Marsh grew to manhood in Louisiana, and like most of the youths of that vicinity as he grew up he devoted his time and attention to farming, receiving in the meantime a good common school education. When eighteen years of age he enlisted in the Confederate Army, Seventeenth Louisiana Infantry, as private (June, 1861), and served until cessation of hostilities, when he was paroled in June, 1865, at Alexandria, La. He participated in the battle of Shiloh-Farming, Port Gibson, where he received a gunshot wound in the side, but only disabled for a short time, when he participated in the following engagements: Black River, Choctaw Bayou, and was in the whole siege of Vicksburg. He was captured, paroled and was afterward in the engineer department. After the war he returned home, tilled the soil for a year, and in 1866 went to New Orleans, where he attended school, taking a thorough commercial course. In 1867 he came to Arkansas and located at Monticello, where he was married in October, 1868, to Miss Bettie White, a native of Tennessee, and the daughter of Charles C. White. Mr. Marsh was book-keeper at Monticello one year, after which he followed agricultural pursuits for two years, and then moved to Bakada, where he was engaged in merchandising, and was also interested in the lumber business. He then resumed his former occupation of tilling the soil, and in 1874 moved to Pine Bluff, where he was occupied as book keeper until 1877. Subsequently he was on the road as traveling salesman for about three years, and then in 1881 began the general mercantile business with limited capital. He soon worked up a fine trade and now has the largest commission house in Pine Bluff, doing an annual trade of about $400,000. To his marriage were born two interesting children: Elmo and Ada, and he and family are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Marsh has served as alderman of his ward for two terms and to the satisfaction of all. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, being P. M. of Pine Bluff Lodge No. 69; H. P. of Lafayette Royal Arch Chapter No. 7; E. C. of Damascus Commandery No. 8, K. T.; C. R. of Sahara Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., and D. D. G. M. of the Third district.